Marilyn Mosby Appears In Federal Court For Processing, Asks 'Not To Be Tried In Court Of Public Opinion'
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Embattled Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby arrived at the federal courthouse downtown Wednesday to be processed ahead of a hearing before a judge later this week.
Mosby walked into federal court flanked by her lead attorney and her husband, Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby.
She got her fingerprints and picture taken, standard practice for a defendant.
This was her first appearance at the the federal courthouse since her indictment on four felony counts last month. They include perjury and making false statements involving her personal finances.
The government accuses Mosby of lying on mortgage applications for vacation properties in Florida and falsely claiming a Covid-19 hardship withdrawal from her retirement account.
The state's attorney spoke to WJZ after leaving court.
"We are four months from my election. This has been a very public sort of investigation into every aspect of my life, and the only thing I'm asking for is for this not to be tried in a court of public opinion," the state's attorney said.
While Mosby has asked not to be tried in the media, she and her legal team have spoken multiple times.
The state's attorney read a statement outside her office on January 14th and her lawyer A. Scott Bolden answered questions at a lengthy press conference three days later.
On Tuesday, Mosby appeared before a national audience with MSNBC host Joy Reid.
"I'm ready to fight. I know I've done nothing wrong. So I'm ready to go to trial tomorrow," Mosby said on the program. "Put this on trial right now so I can prove my innocence, but let's get to this election because that's what this is all about."
She told Reid she is being targeted because of progressive reforms she made while in office.
"I never expected to be on this side of the fence where the only thing I'm attempting to do is to provide equal justice to all," Mosby said.
She also talked about the lengthy federal investigation. "This is what they come back with: Me accessing my own personal funds that I put away every single week."
Many defendants are advised not to speak publicly in ongoing cases. "In this case, it's very difficult to delineate between the messages that are being put out there for political purposes and the messages that are being put out for legal strategic purposes," said lawyer Adam Ruther of Rosenberg, Martin and Greenberg. "The prevailing wisdom once you've been indicted is to not only not make any public statements but to not make any statements to anybody other than your lawyer. Obviously, that wisdom might be tempered in this case by the fact that she has a public office to run and the confidence of the people to garner and wants to be re-elected very clearly."
Mosby said outside the courthouse Wednesday that she wants her trial to start as early as March.
"The citizens, victims and witnesses, my office, the media, we all deserve for this to be over. What I'm asking for is to be tried right now because I am innocent. And the citizens of Baltimore deserve to know that as well before my election, which is four months out.
She then told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren "It's all political."
Her initial hearing and arraignment Friday is scheduled for 1:30 pm. Charges will be read and she will enter a formal plea at the virtual proceeding.
The U.S. Attorney told Hellgren last month his office "follows the evidence where it leads."
